Business Assessment
A Business Assessment is used to evaluate and document the effectiveness of processes, risks, and controls within a selected business dimension and organizational scope.
The assessment provides structured insight into:
The performance of process flows
The effectiveness of linked controls
Associated risks and incidents
The overall level of assurance for a specific organizational unit
By combining Organization and Business Dimension, the system ensures that all underlying and linked data is automatically included. This enables management and process owners to assess their area of responsibility in a structured, transparent, and consistent manner.
Business Assessments support accountability, improve risk awareness, and provide a clear overview of how assurance is embedded within the organization.
1. Accessing a Business Assessment
To create or access a business assessment:
Navigate to Organizations & Business Dimensions.
Click Add new business assessment (top left corner).
Select:
The appropriate Organization
The relevant Business Dimension
Click Load.
The system will load the assessment based on the selected combination of organization and business dimension.
2. Organization Structure and Data Loading
Data is loaded based on the combination of Organization and Business Dimension.
When selecting an organization:
Choosing a higher organizational level (e.g., group level) will display more comprehensive, aggregated data.
Selecting a lower-level department will display more specific, filtered data.
The amount and scope of visible data depend entirely on the organizational level selected during loading.
3. Business Dimension Selection
Only one business dimension can be selected per assessment.
A business dimension functions as a hierarchical structure (tree model). When selected, all underlying elements linked to that dimension are automatically included. This ensures:
All related risks, controls, incidents, and other linked data are incorporated.
The assessment reflects the complete scope of the selected dimension.
Although only one dimension can be selected at a time, all underlying levels are automatically taken into account. The underlying levels, often referred to as child business dimensions, can be selected from the provided overview based on their hierarchy. Based on the business dimension layer you need to assess, you make a selection as seen in the image below, and then click apply.
4. Process Flow and Business Dimensions
Each business dimension is linked to one process flow.
Key principles:
A process flow is linked to a specific process, not to an organization.
If multiple processes share the same name but differ in structure or scope, separate business dimensions must be created.
Creating multiple dimensions for similar processes may result in duplication of risks and controls if not managed carefully.
Process diagrams (read dedicated material here: Process Management) are displayed at the business dimension level, not at the individual process level.
5. Assessment Configuration
Business dimensions are effective only when relevant data is properly linked. In order to be able to complete a Business Assessment and review the information, the following data are required: Reviewer(s), Review Frequency, Initial and next review date.
Within the assessment:
Reviewers (typically process owners) can be assigned under assessment configuration.
Important! The system will only load the assessment based on the selected combination of organization and business dimension. If you make the same selection, it will load the same assessment. You can select in the dropdown if you want to make the assessment annually. Which will then automatically fill in the next review date. (Next review date = Current Date + Frequency)
The most recent assessment score is displayed and reflected in the overview.
Make sure that, after filling out the data in Assessment Configuration, click on Save in order to get the latest and most relevant results.
6. Insight into Processes and Details
The overview screen provides consolidated insight into:
Business Details
Assessment Configuration
Overall Reviews
Linked Risks
Linked Controls
Linked Incidents
Linked Measures of improvement
Linked Risk & Performance Indicators (KRI's)
Linked Third Parties
This information enables management to:
Understand how assurance is structured for a specific policy or objective.
Gain visibility into risk exposure and control effectiveness.
Monitor performance and compliance at different levels.
7. Left Side Panel - Functional Overview
The left side panel provides structured access to related data, including:
Assessment: Is the Business Assessment the user is currently working with.
Links: Contains the sections of Assessment Documents, and Hyperlinks
Assessment Documents: Here you are able to add documents related to your business assessment by clicking on Add document. After all the relevant documents are added, you click on Save documents to upload them and save your progress.
Hyperlinks: Here you are able to add or delete hyperlinks attached to this business assessment. The added hyperlinks will appear on a little table displaying the hyperlink name, the hyperlink itself, the hyperlink type, its description, and the option to open the hyperlink in a new table. Make sure you click on Save hyperlinks in order to save your progress.
History: Shows the users an overview of the latest changes made to this assessment. Click on Reload in order to gain the latest information.
Options: Under Options, the user is able to Delete the Business assessment:
When clicking on delete, a pop-up appears. Make sure you read the information in the pop-up, as it explicitly states that deleting a business assessment is permanent and that restoring it is not possible.
8. Assessment and Process Review
There is no formal workflow for business assessment approval within the module.
Important notes:
The displayed reviewer name corresponds to the user who entered the most recent assessment score.
The reviewer may change over time, depending on who performed the last assessment.
This is independent of the selected organization.
The system always reflects the latest submitted assessment as the active result.
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